Anne Imhof Billboards Vandalized in Austria

Six billboards by German artistAnne Imhofwere vandalized in Bregenz, Austria, on July 23. Designed in collaboration with the London-based Zak Group, the billboards were on view along one of the city’s major arteries, Bregenzer Seestrasse, as a complement to her current exhibition at theKunsthaus Bregenz, which is on view through September 22. Each bore the show’s title, “WISH YOU WERE GAY,” in block letters on its face. All six were partially slashed in the attack, which left at least one largely illegible. Imhof in anInstagrampost promised their return.

“This attack on love, creativity and freedom only serves as proof of this struggle, but this hatecrimecannot take away our hope for a world free from homophobia and free from discrimination for each and every one of us,” she wrote.

Imhof noted that the billboards had been in place since 1997 as a space provided by the museum for public art. “Destroying them is not only an assault on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two spirit and questioning people, but is an assault on the community of Bregenz,” she wrote.

Thomas D. Trummer, director of the Kunsthaus Bregenz, publicly decried the defacement. “This is a cowardly attack on art and on human rights,” he said in a statement. “Homophobia has no place in our society.”

The Art Newspaper reported that Bregenz police are investigating the matter. Austria, like many countries in western Europe, has in recent years seen a proliferation of far-right groups. Its conservative, nationalist Freedom Party won in the spring EU elections and is expected to sweep the national parliament election this fall.